Chocolate Ganache-filled Cupcakes

My husband turns forty tomorrow and for his birthday I decided to surprise him with forty items of something every hour on the fortieth minute of the hour all day long.  Since he is at work, I had to get a little creative.  For one of his items, I was going to have 40 cupcakes delivered to him until I found out they charged $2/piece for these things.  So, I decided to make them myself.  I got this recipe from my friend, Bethany.  They are divine.  The only thing I added to her recipe was piping some of the ganache filling in the centers of the cupcakes.  I don’t even like cake...but these...these are worth making!  I made lemon-filled ones as well that were equally as good.  I will post the recipe soon.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup real or light mayonnaise ( I use light)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, soda & powder, set aside.

In a large bowl with mixer at high speed, beat eggs, sugar & vanilla, scraping sides of bowl occasionally, for 3 minutes or until smooth & creamy. Reduce speed to low; beat in mayonnaise till well blended. Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with water, beginning & ending with flour mixture.

Bake 15 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Makes 24 cupcakes with a little batter left over if you fill them 2/3 full. Or fill 1/2 full and make some minis!

For frosting and filled centers:  Heat 1 cup heavy cream in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until quite hot but not boiling.  Then stir in 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips until the chips melt and all the lumps are gone.  Ganauche will be quite thin at first but it sets ups after a few minutes.  While it's still warm, fill up a pastry bag and squirt some in the centers of the cupcakes.  Then spread a thin layer on the top as frosting.   Let the cupcakes rest for 15 minutes or so.

Whip a pint of whipping cream (may need more depending on how much you want on each cupcake) till it is quite firm.  Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Pipe onto each cupcake with a large, jagged edged tip (or whatever you like) to make a generous mound and sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles or top with a fresh raspberry.  I love them after they have been chilled.  Keep refrigerated for storage. Yum!